Greens Councillor Michelle Tormey also told the meeting that on her way inside the building said she had been threatened by an anti-Islam protester who said he would "stab her in the stomach" if she voted in favour of the prayer hall development.

More than a dozen police officers and a large security presence separated the protesters who exchanged insults.

Several protesters against the prayer hall held up signs with Nazi symbols or slogans such as "Islam a crime against humanity", "Say no to Sharia" and "Think of Penrith's future".

Protester Nick Folkes said the group was there to support local residents who did not want the prayer hall to go ahead.

He said the council had already approved two mosques in two weeks and they believed it would change the local community.

"Islam is a challenge to our way of life," Mr Folkes said.

"It's not just the mosque, it's the political ideology they have in store for us."

However, the group in support of the hall said Muslims and the prayer hall were welcome in the area.

"Smash the savage racist attacks on Muslim and non-white ethnic communities," the group in support of the hall said.

They also held up signs which said: "Racism is unacceptable, Muslims are welcome", "Racism – the enemy of freedom" and "Don't keep calm and fight Islamophobia".